Column: Duck fat – my new love in cooking

By Cathey Noell / Special to The Star

Published: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 at 07:58 AM.

I have read about it. I have had potatoes cooked in it, and I have even rendered it and saved it for later use, only to have found it in my freezer, not labeled and wondered what the heck is it? Well my friend Lynda Mattox has reintroduced me to a tub of duck fat. All I can say about this wonderful and flavorful lard product is that it is magical.

Duck fat can transform a recipe into a culinary delight without overwhelming the ingredients, but with just a subtle taste of richness. Once you have roasted, or pan-fried potatoes with duck fat, you will never cook them any other way.

If you are a baker and make your own pie crusts, you will never use Crisco again, especially in savory tarts and quiches. Heck, even your fried chicken will be kicked up a notch by adding in a tablespoon or more in with your other oil you normally use. Just about anything you would use butter in, can be substituted with duck fat.

Eggs, onions, and mushrooms make for a great marriage with duck fat as well as soups, chowders and beans. You will also be surprised to know duck fat is better for you than butter, being high in beneficial unsaturated fats and closer in composition to olive oil than butter.

Do keep in mind as with any animal fat, you do want to use it in moderation. Another great aspect to using duck fat when cooking is that it has a high smoke point without breaking down, keeping its rich deep flavor that coats the palate.

My latest recipe using duck is chicken and ham gumbo. The difference was amazing. Please give it a try. You will be surprised by the taste and the flavor it will give your recipes. If you would like more information using duck fat, please go to D’Artagnan Gourmet Foods, and www.dartagnan.com.

CHICKEN AND HAM GUMBO

3 chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 pound smoked ham, cut into bite-size pieces

5 Tbs. duck fat (can use oil)

6 Tbs. flour

2 large onions, chopped finely

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 and ½ quarts chicken broth

½ tsp. dried thyme

3 bay leaves

1/8 tsp. powdered cloves

1/8 tsp. allspice

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

½ tsp. dried basil

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup green onions for garnish

File gumbo powder (optional)

In large Dutch oven or heavy-bottom pot, heat to medium-high heat and add the duck fat. Add in the chicken and brown. Remove the chicken from the duck fat and set aside. Add in the flour and stirring constantly, dissolve into a paste and brown slowly, reducing heat if necessary. Once the roux is browned, add in the onions, bell pepper, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables are limp. Add in the chicken broth, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, cloves, allspice, cayenne, and basil. Taste for salt and pepper and add accordingly. Keep stirring until the roux has dissolved into the broth and bring back to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 40 minutes, add in the chicken and ham and simmer for 10 more minutes. Serve over rice.

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I have read about it. I have had potatoes cooked in it, and I have even rendered it and saved it for later use, only to have found it in my freezer, not labeled and wondered what the heck is it? Well my friend Lynda Mattox has reintroduced me to a tub of duck fat. All I can say about this wonderful and flavorful lard product is that it is magical.

Duck fat can transform a recipe into a culinary delight without overwhelming the ingredients, but with just a subtle taste of richness. Once you have roasted, or pan-fried potatoes with duck fat, you will never cook them any other way.

If you are a baker and make your own pie crusts, you will never use Crisco again, especially in savory tarts and quiches. Heck, even your fried chicken will be kicked up a notch by adding in a tablespoon or more in with your other oil you normally use. Just about anything you would use butter in, can be substituted with duck fat.

Eggs, onions, and mushrooms make for a great marriage with duck fat as well as soups, chowders and beans. You will also be surprised to know duck fat is better for you than butter, being high in beneficial unsaturated fats and closer in composition to olive oil than butter.

Do keep in mind as with any animal fat, you do want to use it in moderation. Another great aspect to using duck fat when cooking is that it has a high smoke point without breaking down, keeping its rich deep flavor that coats the palate.

My latest recipe using duck is chicken and ham gumbo. The difference was amazing. Please give it a try. You will be surprised by the taste and the flavor it will give your recipes. If you would like more information using duck fat, please go to D’Artagnan Gourmet Foods, and www.dartagnan.com.

CHICKEN AND HAM GUMBO

3 chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 pound smoked ham, cut into bite-size pieces

5 Tbs. duck fat (can use oil)

6 Tbs. flour

2 large onions, chopped finely

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 and ½ quarts chicken broth

½ tsp. dried thyme

3 bay leaves

1/8 tsp. powdered cloves

1/8 tsp. allspice

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

½ tsp. dried basil

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup green onions for garnish

File gumbo powder (optional)

In large Dutch oven or heavy-bottom pot, heat to medium-high heat and add the duck fat. Add in the chicken and brown. Remove the chicken from the duck fat and set aside. Add in the flour and stirring constantly, dissolve into a paste and brown slowly, reducing heat if necessary. Once the roux is browned, add in the onions, bell pepper, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables are limp. Add in the chicken broth, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, cloves, allspice, cayenne, and basil. Taste for salt and pepper and add accordingly. Keep stirring until the roux has dissolved into the broth and bring back to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 40 minutes, add in the chicken and ham and simmer for 10 more minutes. Serve over rice.